Dec201204

Staff

The NFL will commemorate 50 years of the Pro Football Hall of Fame during Weeks 14 and 15 with special in-game and on-air tributes and events, NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL announced today.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame began its celebration at the 2012 Enshrinement Festival last summer in Canton, OH. The 2012 NFL season marks the 50th year of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which opened on September 7, 1963.

“As the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates 50 years of excellence, we proudly reflect on its successful growth and development and are pleased that initiatives are in place that set the stage for even greater success in the future,” said Hall of Fame President/Executive Director Steve Perry.

To kick off the in-season salute, the Hall and the Oakland Raiders will host a fan forum on December 6 featuring Hall of Fame members JOHN ELWAY, HOWIE LONG, and JOHN MADDEN and Raiders fans prior to Oakland’s Thursday night game against the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.

Players will wear during Weeks 14 and 15 a special “50th Year of Pro Football Hall of Fame” patch on their jerseys. All clubs with home games during Weeks 14 and 15 will feature in-stadium banners. In addition, there will be moments on game broadcasts and in-stadium recognizing and honoring Hall of Famers who are present in stadium, who appear on television and who are active in the community. A selection of game-worn jerseys from these Hall of Fame games will be sold on NFL Auction (www.nfl.com/auction). Fans can bid on these unique items with all proceeds benefitting the Pro Football Hall of Fame and its Enshrinees Assistance Fund.

“We are pleased to celebrate the great men who built this game as well as 50 years of the Hall where they are enshrined and honored,” said Goodell. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame preserves the history of our game and is an important resource for educating generations of fans.”